Iran is said to have successfully tested an upgraded, indegenious, guided surface-to-sea missile, media reports confirmed on Saturday

The missile was tested at the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman during the 'Blow of Zolfaqar' military exercises which began last Saturday.

Wargames spokesman Habib Sayari told reporters that the missile accurately hit its pre-determined targets. Sayari said that the missile has a suitable range, high shooting power and precision.

He added that the successful testing of the missile showed the strength, innovativeness, scientific and technical expertise of the country's defense forces and equipment as well as the potential and specialized skill of its experts.

Analysts however suspect this missile is based on the Russian SS-N-22 Sunburn missile that Iran is said to have acquired via China in 2004. The Sunburn missile is a Russian missile of the Soviet era and can carry a warhead of upto 300kg and is said to have a range of 100km-120kms.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- In another phase of Iran's extensive war games codenamed 'Blow of Zolfaqar', the naval force of the Islamic Republic's army Saturday tested an optimized remote controlled coast-to-sea missile successfully.

According to FNA dispatches, the missile hit and destroyed a prespecified target in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. The operation efficiency (missile destruction capability) was reported to have been one-hundred percent.

Other reports also said that optimization of the missile has been a product of the creativity and innovation of Iranian military experts.

War games spokesman Admiral Habib Sayyari mentioned appropriate range, high striking capability and high flexibility and precision in targeting among the special features of the missile.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. On the north coast is Iran (Persia) and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. On the north coast is Iran (Persia) and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.

I know that it comes as a hard blow to some, but missle technology has come so far in the last decade that it truly is the number one threat to larger military forces and has made them nothing more than sitting ducks in the water, and even on land.

This was clearly shown with Hezbollah, who barely scratched the surface of Irans capability when it comes to modern missle technology.

The Israeli tanks are some of the BEST tanks in the world, feared throughout the Middle east, and a HUGE expendature for Israel.

Yet many were lost by guys on dirtbikes with shoulder fired anti tank missles.

The same can be said for light aluminum speed boats, on the water.

A cheap fishing boat can hide and fire a sunburn missle. It cost nothing, and is almost disposable, but the sunburn is a thing of awesome power.

To attack Iran with Naval forces while they are producing and stockpiling sunburns and sunburn clones would be absolute suicide.

These weapons are virtually unstoppable, extremely portable, and cheap to manufacture and mas produce.

They don't call the sunburn, the "carrier killer" for nothing.

I will be BS flagged and ridiculed all day long for saying this, and I am sorry to let people know, but if Iran has significant numbers of these missles, then we are outgunned in the water.

War is changing, and missle tech is changing it.

Think about the cost of a carrier, and how many sunburns can be manufactured for the same cost, and you will truly understand what I am talking about.

Iran is said to have successfully tested an upgraded, indegenious, guided surface-to-sea missile, media reports confirmed on Saturday

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 7499

A guided surface-to-sea missile?

Wow, this is truly an informed source knowledgeable in the subject area which I would find credible.

Not.

There's no such thing. I guess they think if they make it sound scary it will convince all able bodied male and female Americans to voluntarily enlist in the military to go get slaughtered in Iran.

The Sunburn is a surface-to-surface anti-ship missile. Period.

The Sunburn is not guided, it is a "fire and forget" missile.

In case you forgot, I will remind you that the Earth is a spheriod and not flat. You should know that because if that were not true, then there would be no need for 750 gazillion billion trillion cell phone towers.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. On the north coast is Iran (Persia) and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.The strait at its narrowest is 21 miles wide"

Iran's subs are designed to lay smart mines that can be remotely (de)activated to let friendly shipping pass through the 2 mile wide Hormuz shipping channel, while blocking the unfriendlies...

These mines can also lay on the bottom and rocket towards a ship passing above. In fact, Iran is at the top of the food chain when it comes to smart mines and we're yet to see how destructive these will be in the next war...

"The EM-52 rising mines are part of a 3,000-weapon stockpile of (Iranian) anti-ship mines. This purchase is significant because, unlike most other mines, the EM-52 is operational in deep water such as the Persian Gulf. When the hull of a ship passes over the device the mine is triggered and a rocket is fired at the hull. Placed in choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, this device could be devastating. "

we have over the horizon defense systems that will counter act the sunburn, however, we have nothing inside a 30 mile range that will stop it, and they know itthis really is an amazing cruise missile, it will sink an aircraft carrier with a conventional warhead, but they would be stupid to test it while we are in the region, let alone announce it, i think this is bs

The switch in tactics bettween large force face to face combat is a huge problem for the American, and Israeli forces I think.

It's enemies have figured out that small forces with portable launching systems of highly technical weapons, that cost less to manufacture because they do not require multi billion dollar investments to just to transport, are preferable to a face to face conflict.

These small independant bands of fighters are hard to target, and easy to hide.

The problem is one of OFFENCE vs. DEFENCE really, because these fighters don't have to PROJECT power, and can even store and have acsess to these weopons close to home.

This was the case with Hezbollah too, and you can bet it will hurt America should they choose to take on Iran.

In essense you could train and hire a guy to act civilian, and use him from his house to quickly deploy to his weapon, transport it a short distance, fire it, and return for supper.

With the capability of these "fire and forget" missiles that have a LOT of punch, this guy one guy, or small group of guys could be a real threat to an entire fleet of ships.

It is a REAL logistical problem.

The Iranian army has invested in dirtbikes, if you can believe it!

It is their vehicle of choice for the Basij forces, so this tells you the kind of mobility and low cost thay are aiming for.

It is an interesting choice and very inventive form of warfare that they are looking to employ.

While Rumsfeld argues to produce million dollar "striker" light armour units for speed of deployment, Iran is investing in hundred dollar dirtbikes which are 100 times faster and more manuverable, easier to hide, and more independant.

I have to hand it to Iran.

They are AWESOME stratagists, and have used their money FAR more wisely, IMO.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important stretch of ocean between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf in the southwest. On the north coast is Iran (Persia) and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.The strait at its narrowest is 21 miles wide"

Iran's subs are designed to lay smart mines that can be remotely (de)activated to let friendly shipping pass through the 2 mile wide Hormuz shipping channel, while blocking the unfriendlies...

These mines can also lay on the bottom and rocket towards a ship passing above. In fact, Iran is at the top of the food chain when it comes to smart mines and we're yet to see how destructive these will be in the next war...

"The EM-52 rising mines are part of a 3,000-weapon stockpile of (Iranian) anti-ship mines. This purchase is significant because, unlike most other mines, the EM-52 is operational in deep water such as the Persian Gulf. When the hull of a ship passes over the device the mine is triggered and a rocket is fired at the hull. Placed in choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, this device could be devastating. "

I know that it comes as a hard blow to some, but missle technology has come so far in the last decade that it truly is the number one threat to larger military forces and has made them nothing more than sitting ducks in the water, and even on land.

This was clearly shown with Hezbollah, who barely scratched the surface of Irans capability when it comes to modern missle technology.

The Israeli tanks are some of the BEST tanks in the world, feared throughout the Middle east, and a HUGE expendature for Israel.

Yet many were lost by guys on dirtbikes with shoulder fired anti tank missles.

The same can be said for light aluminum speed boats, on the water.

A cheap fishing boat can hide and fire a sunburn missle. It cost nothing, and is almost disposable, but the sunburn is a thing of awesome power.

To attack Iran with Naval forces while they are producing and stockpiling sunburns and sunburn clones would be absolute suicide.

These weapons are virtually unstoppable, extremely portable, and cheap to manufacture and mas produce.

They don't call the sunburn, the "carrier killer" for nothing.

I will be BS flagged and ridiculed all day long for saying this, and I am sorry to let people know, but if Iran has significant numbers of these missles, then we are outgunned in the water.

War is changing, and missle tech is changing it.

Think about the cost of a carrier, and how many sunburns can be manufactured for the same cost, and you will truly understand what I am talking about.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 136066

I agree with you 100%. The Sunburn`s kinetic energy can roll an aircraft carrier. As things stand now, theres nothing I`m aware in the U.S. or Israeli arsenal that can stop the Sunburn.........LEGION.

we have over the horizon defense systems that will counter act the sunburn, however, we have nothing inside a 30 mile range that will stop it,

Sorry Malu. Google Searam.

yeah they go like 2200mph or something like that. Lets see...20 miles 2200mph, flight time... 33 seconds. good luck.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 79718

Only thing you need to counter any fast anti missile system is modify dummy missiles with flares giving the anti missile system thousands of dummy targets.Just look the specifications. A weapon like sunburn is undefeatable unless you can employ force fields and UFOs. lol